Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 2 -> Episode 2.11

Seat Of Power

When Frasier calls a plumber to fix a leaky toilet, after he and Niles fail at it themselves in an attempt to show their father they're made of sterner stuff than he thinks they are, they both have a flashback to some of the indignities of their school days. The plumber is in fact Danny Kriezel, who tortured Niles with such time honoured traditions as the 'swirly'. But when he has to call in his brother, Frasier's school bully Billy Kriezel, Frasier takes revenge on his torturer while Niles sorts his problems out by talking.

- Niles's delight at Frasier's Swiss army knife with a turquoise inlay.

- After Frasier and Niles' failed attempt at being plumbers:
Niles: The plumber has been called, the wine has been chilled - suddenly my life makes sense again.

Niles: By hiring a plumber, he can then afford, say, a Dolly Parton album. Ms Parton then arranges a tour that comes to Seattle, and the promoter can then afford to send his cross dressing teenage sons to us for $150 an hour therapy.
Frasier: To the circle of life.

- After Niles confronts Danny Kriezel with his schoolboy memories:
Danny: I may not be able to defend all of my actions, but when you show up to school wearing a twee blazer and elbow patches, I think the guilt here is 50/50.

I found this to be a frustrating episode, as the premise of the episode - Frasier and Niles coming face to face with their high school bullies - seems perfect for the basis for some great comedy but while the "Circle of Life" lines is one of my favourite lines in any episode, and it was still quite amusing to hear more of what the Crane brothers were subjected to at school, not enough of this episode works for me - it just a felt a bit too 'production line' for my liking.

Rating

71 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 83.7%
Total Number of Reviews: 3